When industrial designer Aaron Jones moved to San Francisco four years ago to be closer to his sister Miranda, a casual experiment designing a heated bench for a client’s backyard kicked off a new family enterprise. He and Miranda teamed up to launch Galanter & Jones in 2013, crafting thoroughly modern cast-concrete seating with embedded radiant heating that can ward off a chill on the foggiest of Bay Area evenings. Helios, their first design, is a curvilinear outdoor sofa with powder-coated steel legs currently warming up visitors to Flora Grubb Gardens and the Embarcadero Center (and was most recently spotted at the San Francisco Decorator Showcase). The pair is expanding operations with their new Evia loveseat—inspired by the design of a leather sling chair—and a just-opened showroom two doors down from their Bryant Street workspace in SoMa. Here, the designers tell us what lights their fires.
How much did your experience with San Francisco’s notoriously chilly weather spur your innovation of heated outdoor furniture?
MJ: We joke that we belong to a society of indoor-outdoor living, but that it needs serious improvement. We want to change the way that people experience their outdoor spaces.
AJ: We grew up in Montana, where our summers were very short. We spent as much time outside as possible, turning our porches and patios into outdoor living rooms. But then I moved to San Francisco, where you can basically spend all year outside, and I realized that you need equipment to be able to do that and stay warm.
Why did you gravitate toward concrete?
AJ: Concrete is a material that can be cast in molds, which is a must for making a shape like the Helios, which features a double curve. It ages nicely and develops a patina over time, but it’s also very durable and is a good delivery mechanism for heat. It has an amazing feel under you hand, like a hot river rock.
Your work is proof that minimalism can be synonymous with comfort. What inspires your aesthetic?
MJ: We both find inspiration in mid-century modern design; it has clean, elegant lines, but still conveys a sense of warmth. I guess that our products reflect that warmth quite literally.
AJ: I often feel that many things are over-thought and over-engineered. I believe that the best solution to a design problem is also usually the simplest option.
You’ve clearly transcended sibling rivalry. How does your partnership work in the studio?
MJ: I approach the design process from an editorial background, which is different from Aaron’s experience in industrial design. He’s the brains behind our designs, and I weigh in on color and material combinations. We come together on performance, comfort and beauty—everything we make should fill a real need in someone’s life.
AJ: I tend to be a bit of a dreamer, while Miranda keeps our brand identity clear and concise. I have a million ideas constantly floating around in the back of my mind, so just choosing which to pursue is usually the hard part.